International schools suspend second phase of re-opening as COVID-19 cases surge

The Kenya Association of International Schools (KAIS) has suspended its second phase of re-opening after a surge in COVID-19 infections.

In a statement released on Friday, KAIS said the suspension will affect students in other years who were set to resume learning on Monday, October 26.

KAIS said in accordance with the Ministry of Education guidelines, final year and key transitional years had already resumed learning.

However, the association noted that the COVID-19 positivity rate had spiked to 14% from 5% since the reopening, informing the decision to suspend the resumption of in-person learning.

Learning for final year and transitional year students will continue, with KAIS saying a hybrid model that will incorporate face-to-face and virtual learning will be employed to reduce the number of students in the schools at a time.

Those who are not comfortable with in-person learning have been advised to continue with virtual learning.

Elsewhere, the Multimedia University suspended the resumption of in-person learning at its Mbagathi Campus in a memo circulated on Friday.

The University leadership cited concerns over the surging infections in the country.

The latest comes in the backdrop of an announcement by the Ministry of Health that COVID-19 infections have surged, warning that a second wave is beckoning.

On Thursday, MoH announced 1,068 new COVID-19 infections tested from a sample of 7,556.

The total number of confirmed in the country now stands at 47,212 whilst the total number of recoveries stands at 33,050.

27 patients are currently receiving care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 45 are on supplementary oxygen; 27 are on ventilatory support while 12 are in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).

A total of 1,121 patients are admitted in various hospitals while 3,112 are on Home-Based Isolation and Care.

So far, 870 people have succumbed to the disease in the country.